'Mystery Case Files' - The First Five Games Quiz

Answer: 'Huntsville'

Developed and published by Big Fish Games, 'Huntsville' is the first in the 'Mystery Case Files' hidden object series. It was released in November 2005 and promptly proceeded to break casual games sales records, establishing its firm foothold on the market.

The game centres on crimes being committed in a fictional town called Huntsville by a criminal gang known as 'S.T.A.I.N.', and is played over a total of 21 different locations.

Answer: Hunt and Peck

The offices of Hunt and Peck, Attorneys at Law, includes such hidden items as a teddy bear, magnifying glass, globe, pocket watch and scissors. The scene is set in a room at the law firm dominated by a huge antique desk and chair, the desk with its overspilling drawers being cluttered with masses of items to be found.

Answer: Dalmatian

The Dalmatian is featured prominently in the foreground, looking at the fire engine which is the focal point of the scene. Lining the walls there are several shelves filled with objects. A fireman can be seen sliding down a pole in the background to the left.

Answer: flashlight battery

The battery has to be found in order to power the flashlight to complete the search of all locations; entry will not be gained to these locations until it has been found. In 'Prime Suspects', the main storyline concerns the theft of the 'Queen's Hope Diamond'.

It is the player's task to solve the hidden object clues and to complete puzzles which will eliminate many of the twenty characters from suspicion, and then to solve a final puzzle to discover which of the shortlisted suspects stole the diamond. Like all the games in the 'Mystery Case Files' series, once one game has been completed it can be played again with a different set of clues.

Answer: Tone-deaf Tilly

Tone-deaf Tilly, aka dental assistant Matilda Fitzgerald, can be found in Mingo's Playhouse wearing her customary apparel of red dress and dangling earrings. A performance not to be missed.

Answer: teacher

The newly-qualified Emma Ravenhearst arrives in England to take up her post as a teacher. She has not been long in her new job before she is befriended and charmed by the sinister Charles Dalimar, with unfortunate consequences.
'Ravenhearst', like its predecessors, relies on hidden object games for its main part, but it also features complex 'door puzzles' which must be solved in order to advance to the next level.

Answer: Emma's diary

Each new level provides a missing page from Emma's diary, all of which must be found to complete the game. When the required hidden objects in each level have been discovered, a jigsaw-style puzzle must be completed to reveal the next diary page. Rose Sommerset is introduced as the nurse/companion employed by Charles to care for Emma when illness overtakes her.

She is, as will be discovered, not all she seems...

Answer: True

Quite true. Other minigames include 'Six Words to Win', 'Opposite Attraction' and 'Rocket Dog'. 'Madame Fate' is more involved than its predecessors and incorporates quite a few more puzzles along the way. The overall object of the game requires the player to ascertain where each of the suspects were at the stroke of midnight, the time the fortune-teller, Madame Fate, has predicted through her crystal ball that she will be murdered.

Answer: Lance

The aptly-named Lance Pierceman the sword swallower is one of fifteen suspects in 'Madame Fate', all of whom work at the carnival. In addition to these suspects and their locations there are over 40 items which 'morph' into something else, called 'mystery items' by the authors, which need to be discovered to unlock further locations such as 'Kitty Carnival', 'Tunnel of Love' and 'The Outhouse'. 'Madame Fate' is a stand-alone adventure in its own right, but also links in with the 'Ravenhearst' games in a clever way which the player will only discover at the very end of the game.

Answer: Victor

Charles' son is named Victor. 'Return To Ravenhearst' is more complex than its predecessors and much longer. It still has the famous 'Mystery Case Files' hidden objects, but the gameplay has been expanded to include many very challenging logic puzzles and more interactive 'point and click' gameplay.

As to the saga, there are more parts of the manor to be investigated. Also, with the passage of time and the actions of the spirit of Charles Dalimar, some of the locations previously familiar to the player from 'Ravenhearst' are not now so familiar...